Best and Worst Hot Dogs - do you eat hot dogs?

With lots of hot dogs out there, it should be easy to choose a relatively healthy one, right?

Not necessarily. Even "healthier" hot dogs may not be better for you, says Carolyn Brown, a registered dietitian and nutritionist at Foodtrainers, in New York City. "It comes down to the quality of the meat, the processing, and the other added ingredients."

Brown recommends hot dogs with less than 150 calories and fewer than 14 grams of fat (with no more than 6 grams saturated). Sodium should not exceed 450 milligrams. Here's our list of the best—and worst—hot dogs.

1) Applegate Farms' the Great Organic Uncured Beef Hot Dog meets and beats Brown's criteria, with 110 calories, 8 grams of fat (3 grams saturated), 7 grams of protein, and just 330 milligrams of sodium. It's also made from organic, grass-fed beef.

"Organic meat has never been given antibiotics or hormones, so it's always the way to go if you have the option," she says. "Grass-fed is even better; meat from a grass-fed animal doesn't have as much total or saturated fat as regular grain-fed."


2) Ball Park Franks lead the lineup in sodium, calories, and fat, with 550 milligrams of sodium, 190 calories, 16 grams of fat (7 saturated), and 9 grams of protein.

What's more, they're cured, meaning they have been treated with nitrates and nitrites, which have been linked to cancer and other health problems.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration limits the nitrate and nitrite content of food products, including hot dogs, but there are tasty uncured dogs available.



3)If you like the idea of a low-cal, low-fat hot dog with plenty of protein, chicken dogs can be a great choice.

You won't find any mystery meat in Trader Joe's Uncured Chicken Hot Dogs—just boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs.

These dogs also contain flavorings like garlic, onion, and paprika. Each one has 60 calories, fewer than a medium-size apple. They've got 250 milligrams of sodium, 2.5 grams of fat, less than 1 gram of saturated fat, and 9 grams of protein.


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